Multipurpose net frame

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a multipurpose net frame which is provided with a positioning device, the positioning device is slidably disposed on a control cord of the net frame, the user can set up the net frame by easily pushing the positioning device, when folding the net frame, the user can pull the positioning device and control rod to make positioning device move downward along the control rod, the respective rods and levers pivotally connected to the movable member are easily folded inward, and thus to prevent the user being pinched when folding the net frame.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a multipurpose net frame, which is provided with a positioning device, such that the net frame can be folded up and down more easily.

2. Description of the Prior Arts

A conventional net frame is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein a coupling base 10 of the net frame is defined with a through hole 11, at an outer periphery of the coupling base 10 are provided with four rods 12, and at a predetermined position of the net frame are provided with plural levers 13 which are pivotally connected to a positioning member 14. The positioning member 14 is defined with a positioning portion 15. A control cord 16 has an end fixed to the positioning member 14 and has another free end passing through the through hole 11 of the coupling base 10. To set up the net frame, the user has to pull the free end of the control cord 16, the positioning member 14 is pulled to move by the control cord 16, so as to position the positioning portion 15 of the positioning member 14 in the through hole 11 of the coupling base 10. Meanwhile, the positioning member 14 will drive the respective rods 12 to move, by this way, the net frame is set up. To fold the net frame, the user has to push the respective levers 13 or pulling the positioning member 14, and thus the positioning member 14 will make the respective rods 12 fold the net.

However, there are some defects in this conventional net frame structure. After the net frame is set up, the coupling base 10 and the positioning member 14 need to be positioned together in order to prevent the positioning portion 15 of the positioning member 14 drop from the through hole 11 of the coupling base 10, thereby it is necessary to additionally assemble a fixing element to the coupling base 10 and the positioning member 14. When pushing the respective levers 13 or pulling the positioning member in order to fold the net frame, the user will probably be pinched by the respective levers 13 and the positioning member 14.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional net frame.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a multipurpose net frame, wherein a coupling base is provided with a control cord, a positioning device is slidably disposed on the control cord and located bellow the coupling base, the positioning device has a movable member pivotally connected with plural levers, the levers link to plural rods. By such arrangements, the user can hold the positioning device with one hand while pulling the control cord with another hand, so as to push the positioning device easily, and thus the net frame is set up.

The secondary object of the present invention is to provide a multipurpose net frame, when folding the net frame, the user can pull the pulling member of the positioning device to make the through hole of the pulling member move downward along the control rod, the respective rods and levers pivotally connected to the movable member will be folded inward, and thus to prevent the user being pinched when folding the net frame.

The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which shows, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiments in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional net frame when it is not set up;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a conventional net frame when it is set up;

FIG. 3 is a perspective assembly view of a multipurpose net frame in accordance with one aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of a multipurpose net frame in accordance with one aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a partial cross sectional view of a multipurpose net frame in accordance with one aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a side view of a multipurpose net frame in accordance with one aspect of the present invention wherein the net frame is folded;

FIG. 7 is a partial amplified view of a multipurpose net frame in accordance with one aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is another perspective view of a multipurpose net frame in accordance with one aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is another partial cross sectional view of a multipurpose net frame in accordance with one aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is another side view of a multipurpose net frame in accordance with one aspect of the present invention wherein the net frame is folded;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a multipurpose net frame in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, wherein a multipurpose net frame is shown and generally comprised of a coupling base 20, a control cord 30, a positioning device 40, four rods 50, a cloth 60, a net 70 and four levers 80.

The coupling base 20 is defined at a center thereof with a through hole 21, about periphery of the coupling base 20 is equidistantly provided with four coupling portions 22 which are parallel in pairs. Each of the four coupling portions 22 is formed at a predetermined position thereof with coupling holes 23. Between each paired parallel coupling portions 22 is defined with a stopper 24.

The control cord 30 has a first end fixed to the through hole 21 of the coupling base 20, and a second end of the control rod 30 is a free end.

The positioning device 40 comprises a movable member 41, a pulling member 42, three rolling elements 43 and an elastic member 44 (as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5). About a periphery of the movable member 41 are provided with four coupling portions 411 which are parallel in pairs, and between each paired parallel coupling portions 411 is defined with a stopper 412. Each of the coupling portions 411 is provided at a predetermined position thereof with a hole 413. At the center of the movable member 41 is defined with a conical groove 414, and at a bottom of the conical groove 414 an aperture 415 is defined. The pulling member 42 is defined at a first end surface thereof with a through aperture 421, at the first end of the pulling member 42 is provided with a handle portion 422, and on a periphery of a second end of the pulling member 42 are equidistantly defined with three through holes 423 for the reception of the rolling elements 43. A projection 424 is defined at a predetermined position of the periphery of the pulling member 42. The second end of the pulling member 42 equipped with the rolling elements 43 serves to insert in the conical groove 414 of the movable member 41, and the first end of the pulling member 42 defined with handle portion 422 protrudes out of the aperture 415 of the movable member 41. The elastic member 44 is disposed around an outer periphery of the pulling member 42 in a manner that an end of the elastic member 44 presses against a bottom of the conical groove 414 of the movable member 41 and another end of the elastic member 44 abuts against the protrusion 424 of the pulling member 42. The through aperture 421 of the pulling member 42 of the positioning device 40 is provided for the insertion of the control cord 30, and the rolling elements 43 in the pulling member 42 are used to clamp the control cord 30 from both sides.

The four rods 50 have identical structure, at a predetermined position of the respective rods 50 is provided with a pivoting portion 51, such that the rods 50 can be folded down and up, as shown in FIG. 6, the respective rods 50 are further provided with a connecting portion 52. A first end of the respective rods 50 is inserted in the coupling holes 23 of the parallel coupling portions 22 on the coupling base 20.

The cloth 60, at each corner of which is provided with a hollow annular member 61 for the reception of a second end of the respective rods 50 (as shown in FIG. 7).

The net 70 is disposed between the respective rods 50 and connected with the cloth 60, and a reverse “U”-shaped gap is defined between two neighboring rods 50.

The levers 80 have identical structure, and each has a first end pivotally connected to the connecting portion 52 of the rods 50 and has a second end pivotally connected to the hole 413 of the respective coupling portions 411 on the movable member 41 of the positioning device 40.

Referring to FIGS. 4, 5 and 8, to set up the net frame, the user can hold the positioning device 40 with one hand while pulling the control cord 30 with another hand, the positioning device 40 is pulled to slide by the control cord 30, such that the movable member 41 of the positioning device 40 can make the respective levers 80 move, and then the levers 80 push the respective rods 50 to move, the through aperture 421 of the pulling member 42 of the positioning member 40 moves upward along the control cord 30 until the stopper 412 at the coupling portions 411 of the movable member 41 abut against the levers 80, or until the stopper 24 of the coupling base 20 is touched by the rods 50. By this way, the net frame is set up.

Since the elastic member 44 elastically presses against the protrusion 424 of the pulling member 42, the rolling elements 43 disposed in the pulling member 42 are able to abut against the wall of the conical groove 414 of the movable member 41. And due to the conical groove 414 is wider at the bottom and tapers off toward the top, when the positioning device 40 moves upward or when the control cord 30 is pulled downward, the rolling elements 43 on the pulling member 42 will not be pressed by the wall of the conical groove 414 of the movable member 41. In this case, the control cord 30 can enable the rolling elements 43 on the pulling member to freely rotate and roll in the pulling direction of the control cord 30.

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, to fold the net frame, the user can pull the pulling member 42 of the positioning device 40, so as to compress the elastic member 44 with the protrusion 424 of the pulling member 42 and the bottom of the conical groove 414 of the movable member 41, and thus the positioning device 40 is able to slide downward along the control cord 30, so as further to fold the respective levers 80 of the movable member 41 and the rods 50 of the coupling base 20. In addition, on the cloth 60 can be provided with a binding member 62 that is used to bind the net frame after it is folded. Such that the user is prevented from being pinched by the levers 80 and the positioning device 40.

Referring to FIG. 11, wherein the net 70 between the rods 50 can be replaced by cloth 60, such that the corresponding products in according with the present invention can be net for ball games and also can be tent.

While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 

1. An electrical switch assembly comprising: a substantially rigid front panel; a membrane switch positioned behind the front panel in contact with the front panel, the membrane switch providing a plurality of spatially separated switch elements; and a backer plate positioned behind the membrane switch in contact with the membrane switch; wherein a space between the front panel and the backer plate is substantially free of structure confining deflection of the front panel to an area of the switch elements.
 2. The electrical switch assembly of claim 1 wherein the front panel is a panel of sheet metal.
 3. The electrical switch assembly of claim 1 wherein the front panel is a rigid plastic.
 4. The electrical switch assembly of claim 1 wherein the front panel is glass.
 5. The electrical switch assembly of claim 1 wherein the front panel is non-planar.
 6. The electrical switch assembly of claim 5 wherein the front panel is outwardly convex.
 7. The electrical switch assembly of claim 1 wherein the membrane switch actuates with a deflection of less than 0.002 inches.
 8. The electrical switch assembly of claim 1 further including a movable switch operator positioned in front of the rigid front panel to be pressed by a user and to apply increased pressure to the switch area from that pressing by a user.
 9. The electrical switch assembly of claim 1 wherein the rigid front panel is transparent and further including a lamp behind the front panel.
 10. The electrical switch assembly of claim 9 wherein the backer plate is a printed circuit card holding the lamp.
 11. An electrical switch assembly comprising: a substantially rigid front panel; a front and back flexible sheet supporting at multiple spatially separated switch areas, electrically independent conductive switch contacts upon respective opposed surfaces of the front and back flexible sheet, portions of the front and back flexible sheets separated by insulator elements having a thickness of no greater than 0.002 inches; whereby actuation forces may be transmitted through the substantially rigid front panel.
 12. The electrical switch assembly of claim 11 wherein the front panel is selected from the group consisting of sheet metal, rigid polymer, and glass.
 13. The electrical switch assembly of claim 1 1 wherein the switch areas are separated along a first axis, and the electrically independent conductive switch contacts are proportionally narrower along the first axis than along a perpendicular to the first axis.
 14. The electrical switch assembly of claim 11 wherein the front and back flexible sheet are separated by a plurality of dielectric dots
 15. The electrical switch assembly of claim 14 wherein the dielectric dots are areas of printed insulating ink.
 16. The electrical switch assembly of claim 14 wherein the dielectric dots are formed from portions of a separate insulating sheet.
 17. The electrical switch assembly of claim 14 wherein the dielectric dots are embossments in at least one of the front and back flexible sheets.
 18. The electrical switch assembly of claim 14 wherein the dielectric dots have a varying pattern density dependent on a distance from centers of the switch areas.
 19. An electrical switch assembly comprising: a substantially rigid front panel supporting on a rear surface at different switch locations conductive first switch contacts; and a backer element positioned behind the front panel in contact adjacent to the front panel and supporting on a front surface at the different switch locations second switch contacts connectable to the first switch contacts with deflection of the front panel; wherein the first switch contacts are metal of the front panel.
 20. (canceled)
 21. (canceled)
 22. An electrical switch assembly comprising: at least of two adjacent deformable sheets supporting at a switch area multiple electrically independent conductive switch contacts upon opposed surfaces of the deformable sheets to contact each other when the deformable sheets are pressed at the switch area wherein one deformable sheet is a substantially rigid front panel; a plurality of dielectric dots separating the conductive switch contacts, the dielectric dots spaced apart provide a contacting of the conductive switch contacts at different thresholds of pressure when the deformable sheets are pressed at the switch area; wherein a switch distinguishing between no pressure and at least two levels of compressive pressure is provided.
 23. The electrical switch assembly of claim 22 wherein the dielectric dots near different contacts are of different thickness to provide the different thresholds of pressure.
 24. The electrical switch assembly of claim 22 wherein the dielectric dots are of different separations from one another to provide the different thresholds of pressure.
 25. The electrical switch assembly of claim 22 wherein the rigid front panel is positioned in front of two deformable sheets supporting the switch contacts and pressure must be applied to the deformable sheets through the rigid front panel.
 26. (canceled) 